


Sponging Courage

by CatrinaSL



Series: Three Things [20]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Cat Toy, Eggnog, F/M, Girls' Night, SHIP DARCY LEWIS WITH ALL THE THINGS, Sharing a Pet, Silk Robe, Three Things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 09:39:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13097400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatrinaSL/pseuds/CatrinaSL
Summary: Darcy's sick of her neighbor stealing her cat, so she takes a little courage (of both the liquid and friendship variety) and decides to put her foot down.





	Sponging Courage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [storybuyer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/storybuyer/gifts).



> storybuyer prompted Silk robe, Eggnog, Cat toy.

"And so after I've tried everything: waved around his favorite toy, left out his favorite food, cried into my pillow, all but filed a missing persons report, Sponge rolls in here smelling like cheap booze and floozies and cuddles up to me like he hasn't been missing for days."

"Can you file a missing persons report for a cat?" Helen asked Natasha.

Natasha shook her head as Darcy continued ranting. "You'll notice he isn't here  _ now _ . He's off next door, with my ridiculously handsome neighbor and his cheap booze and floozies."

"What do cheap booze and floozies smell like?" Jane wanted to know.

"Darcy's place after a Girls' Night," Pepper offered, and the whole room dissolved into laughter.

"Okay, yes, hilarious," Darcy allowed, "but what am I gonna do? I can't just let some gorgeous guy steal my cat! You guys gotta help me get him back!"

"The cat or the guy?" Natasha asked.

Jane and Betty laughed, but Darcy leveled a serious expression at Natasha. "I cannot believe," she said, pausing to take a sip of her eggnog, "that you would even  _ insinuate _ that I mingle with a cat thief, no matter  _ how _ pretty he is."

"Is there a reason you can't just walk over there and tell him to give Sponge back?" Helen wondered.

"Yes, and it's a good one," Darcy said, frowning a little as though she couldn't quite remember what it was. "Oh! I know.  _ He _ thinks Sponge is  _ his _ . Just because he sometimes gives him slices of bread that Sponge drags home and snuggles with before he devours them. Like, dude, sharing food does not a cat owner make."

"Sponge obviously feels differently," Pepper put in.

"You should put your foot down," Natasha told Darcy. "You're loosened up from your liquid courage. You look hot. You've got backup. There's never gonna be a better time to do it."

Darcy looked at Natasha as though she was preaching the truth of the universe. "Yes," she said, nodding. She stood and straightened her silk robe, adjusting it on her shoulders and tightening the belt just in case. "I'm gonna put my foot down." She grabbed her eggnog and downed the rest, then marched to her door and yanked it open.

The other occupants of her living room crowded against the front window and into the doorway to watch her go. She walked up onto his porch, tilted her shoulders and hips, and knocked. A few moments later, the door opened and Sponge ran out to wind around her legs.

"Whoa," Jane said, checking out Darcy's long-haired, beefy brunette of a neighbor. "That guy is  _ hot _ ."

"Darcy can  _ flirt _ when she doesn't overthink it," Helen observed, watching Darcy's neighbor laugh at something she said and reach out to fiddle with her hair.

"She's going inside!" Pepper gasped.

"Guys?" Betty said, sniffing at Darcy's drink. "I'm pretty sure this eggnog is nonalcoholic."

**Author's Note:**

> [Prompt a Three Things fic!](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7S2MbkK0CxVHMG3kF8CD6fYqD0zwY-J6MqLb21nmFyRpE4w/viewform)
> 
> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/168811609638/sponging-courage)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


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